Hunan Engineering Vocational and Technical College officially launched the "Sino-Foreign Cooperation and Exchange Center of Engineering Technology" and the "Engineering Technology Overseas Staff Training Center" at Edinburgh College, Kenya.
In the wave of globalization, vocational education cooperation has become an important bridge for international exchanges.
On March 26th, Hunan Institute of Engineering Technology officially listed the Center for Sino-foreign Cooperation and Exchange of Engineering Technology and the Training Center for Overseas Employees of Engineering Technology in Edinburgh College, which marked that China’s vocational training entered the African stage and opened a new chapter for China-Africa vocational education cooperation. This cooperation shows the spirit of “being the first in the world” and sets an example for the internationalization of China’s vocational and technical standards and the China-oriented Kenyan vocational and technical training standards. At the same time, it is also a positive response to the construction requirements of Hunan Province as a pioneer area for in-depth economic and trade cooperation between China and Africa.
In Kenya, the proportion of young people is extremely high, but due to the lack of educational resources and skills training, many young people are facing employment problems. The arrival of Hunan Engineering Vocational and Technical College has undoubtedly opened a new door for them. The College will send an experienced team of teachers to Kenya to provide professional engineering training for local youth by using mature Chinese technology and teaching methods. This will not only help to improve their practical operation ability but also promote the development of the local economy and industrial upgrading.
Hunan Engineering Vocational and Technical College Peng Hua, director of the International Exchange Center: By establishing cooperative relations with universities in Kenya, we can build a training cooperation platform, export training standards, and train talents for local universities and enterprises in Africa. This cooperation has been recognized and supported by the local government. It is an affirmation of the work of our college, and also an acknowledgment of the internationalization of vocational education in China. At the same time, I also hope that in this cooperation, we can fully demonstrate the leadership, practicality, and popularization of our international school, which means that other institutions can learn from this model and apply it to their own educational practice.
As a matchmaker between the two universities，As a matchmaker between the two universities, Xingfei Zhiyuan has witnessed this important moment.
Xingfei Zhiyuan chairman Chen Jiangtao said: With the rapid development of China’s economy and the increasingly mature technology, China’s vocational training system is gradually recognized by the international community. The cooperation between Hunan Vocational College of Engineering and Edinburgh College in Kenya is not only a friendly exchange between the two schools but also an important practice of educational cooperation between China and Africa. It also provides talent protection for all Chinese-funded enterprises to go to sea. We are honored to contribute to this successful cooperation and look forward to promoting more cooperation between Chinese and African universities in the future.
At the same time, the cooperation between Engineering Vocational and Technical College and Edinburgh College in Kenya has been warmly welcomed and highly praised by the Kenya Ministry of Education, Kenya Vocational Training School, Kenyan youth, and Chinese-funded enterprises in Kenya. This enthusiastic response is not accidental. It stems from the persistent adherence of the cooperative colleges to the friendly cooperation between China and Africa in education, from the eager desire of local Chinese-funded enterprises for international talents, and from the bright vision of African youth for a better future.
As the liaison between the two universities, Xingfei Zhiyuan played a bridging and facilitating role in this cooperation. From the first exchange with Hunan Engineering Vocational College in July 2023, to the establishment of a strategic partnership with Hunan Engineering Vocational College in November, and then to the Spring Festival period in 2024, Star Africa Zhiyuan crossed mountains and seas to Africa to connect with Edinburgh College, finally witnessing the collaboration between the two colleges, which lasted for nearly a year.
In the future, Xingfei Zhiyuan will actively respond to the Decision of the Hunan Provincial People’s Government of Hunan Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China to accelerate the Construction of a Strong Education Province in 2024 and actively promote high-level Sino-foreign cooperative education projects. According to the seventh policy in the decision, actively promote the internationalization of vocational education, strengthen educational exchange activities with Africa and other regions, and build a seminar platform for Sino-African vocational education cooperation to cultivate more high-level international talents. Contribute to the internationalization of vocational education in China, and contribute to the Sino-African friendship and cooperation.